Social and other specific services – concessions
Concession award notice
Section I: Contracting
authority/entity
I.1) Name and addresses
Qualifications Wales
Q2 Building, Pencarn Lane, Imperial Park
Newport
NP10 8AR
UK
Telephone: +44 1633373205
E-mail: Procurement@qualificationswales.org
NUTS: UKL2
Internet address(es)
Main address: http://www.qualificationswales.org
Address of the buyer profile: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA41978
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local subdivisions
I.5) Main activity
Education
Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title
The development, delivery & award of building services & construction qualifications
Reference number: QW181913
II.1.2) Main CPV code
80000000
II.1.3) Type of contract
Services
II.1.4) Short description
This is a call for competition to commission an awarding body or consortium of awarding bodies to develop a suite of Building Services and Construction qualifications (the Qualifications) to meet the needs of learners in Wales from age 16 upwards and address the issues raised during the Qualifications Wales' sector review 'Building the Future'.
https://qualificationswales.org/media/3176/building-the-future.pdf
These qualifications must be ready for first teaching in colleges and work-based learning environments from September 2021.
II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots:
No
II.1.7) Total value of the procurement
Value excluding VAT:
9 798 880.00
GBP
II.2) Description
II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)
80210000
II.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS code:
UKL2
Main site or place of performance:
Centres (further education colleges and work-based learning providers) across Wales
II.2.4) Description of the procurement
Chapter 13 of 'Building the Future', the report on the sector review of Qualifications and the Qualification System in Construction and the Built Environment (“the Report”), sets out the options for reformed qualifications and proposed assessment methods.
The qualifications we are intending to commission under this concession contract (titles may change) are:
Foundation qualification in Construction and the Built Environment
This qualification will be designed to be taken by learners aged 16-19 as the main qualification on the first year of a full-time FE building services or construction programme. The qualification will provide learners with broad-based knowledge and understanding about the building services or construction industry as a whole, will develop softer-skills and will enable them to begin to develop practical skills in a chosen trade or trades, while also having some experience of at least one other trade.
Progression qualification in Building Services Engineering
Progression qualification in Construction
These qualifications will be designed to be taken by learners aged 16-19 within FE who have completed the Foundation Qualification in Construction and the Built Environment. These qualifications will enable learners to develop their knowledge and skills either in a single trade or in more than one trade in line with the National Occupational Standards. The aim is to increase their readiness to enter an apprenticeship after two years in further education.
The Progression qualifications will include an online assessment of core knowledge and understanding.
We are working on the basis that both the Foundation and Progression Qualifications will be at Level 2.
Apprenticeship qualification in Construction
Apprenticeship qualification in Building Services Engineering
The level 3 Apprenticeship qualifications (with a number of different trade-specific endorsements) will be designed to provide a framework for the assessment of apprentices at the end of their apprenticeship.
Assessment for the Apprenticeship qualification comprises a work-based project, an externally assessed professional discussion and an online test. In order to take the assessment, the employer must sign-off the apprentice’s completion of the apprenticeship by performing against all core National Occupational Standards (or equivalent) for the trade. Employer sign-off is not part of the qualification but is a pre-requisite for taking the assessment.
Note: Within Building the Future we also discussed proposed qualifications for learners aged 14 to 16 mainly in schools and those aged 16 to 19 primarily for progression to higher education. These qualifications are not within the scope of the concession contract. We are proposing to develop approval criteria with a view to approving one or more versions of these qualifications – a GCSE and a GCE AS/A Level in Built Environment - for use in Wales. Awarding bodies, including those participating in the procurement process, will also be at liberty to submit qualifications for approval in line with the approval criteria.
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement, dynamic purchasing system or concession
Duration in months: 158
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds:
No
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description
IV.1.1) Form of procedure
Award procedure with prior publication of a concession notice
IV.1.11) Main features of the award procedure:
The final bids were evaluated using the following criteria and weightings:
1. Capacity, capability, governance and planning 27%
2. Approach to developing, delivering and quality assuring the Qualifications 35%
3. Preparing for the new qualifications 25%
4. Value for money 13%
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJ S:
2018/S 210-481183
Section V: Award of contract
A contract/lot is awarded:
Yes
V.2 Award of contract
V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract
11/06/2019
V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 3
Number of tenders received from SMEs: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: 0
Number of tenders received by electronic means: 3
The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators:
Yes
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
Excellence, Achievement & Learning Ltd
Unit 2, The Orient Centre, Greycaine Road
Watford
WD24 7GP
UK
Telephone: +44 7515585686
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor
City & Guilds
1 Giltspur Street
London
EC1A 9DD
UK
Telephone: +44 7917265649
NUTS: UK
The contractor is an SME:
No
V.2.4) Information on value of the concession and main financing terms (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot/concession: 8 262 000.00 GBP
Total value of the concession/lot:
9 798 880.00
GBP
Any other details relevant to the value of the concession according to Art. 8(3) of the directive:
The estimated value of the contract was calculated by estimating fees per qualification as stated in the background document provided with the procurement documents on etenderwales. The fees did not take into account centre registration fees or re-sits.
The total contract value is based upon the tendered fee per qualification multiplied by the estimated number of learners over the restricted approved qualification period of seven years when the successful bidder will have the exclusive right to deliver the Qualifications.
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.3) Additional information
Qualifications Wales undertook a multi-stage procurement process via etenderwales including a selection / outline solution stage and dialogue followed by final bids.
A 10 calendar day standstill period was observed before the contract was awarded.
Duration:
Contract start to 31 August 2021:Development & implementation.
1 September 2021 to 31 August 2028: Exclusivity period
1 September 2028 to 31 August 2030: Run off period for Foundation & Progression Qualifications (option to extend for up to a further 2 years in line with the Apprenticeship Qualification).
1 September 2028 to 31 August 2032: Run off period for Apprenticeships.
1 September 2032 to 30 August 2033: Option to extend for up to a further 12 months.
(WA Ref:94293)
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body
Qualifications Wales
Q2 Building, Pencarn Lane, Imperial Park
Newport
NP10 8AR
UK
Telephone: +44 1633373205
Internet address(es)
URL: http://www.qualificationswales.org
VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice
08/08/2019